1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ice skate blades, and in particular, to an ice skate blade for use with an ice hockey skate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical ice hockey skate blade has a uniform thickness of approximately 2.9 mm. (0.115 inches). On the other hand, a speed skating blade of the type utilized in Olympic ice skate races is longer than an ice hockey blade, and the thickness of the blade is more in the order of 1.4 mm. It is known that the narrower blade width results in increased gliding speeds and thus the reason for the narrower width on racing skates.
However, hockey skates, and in particular the blades, are subject to violent impacts, such as from hockey pucks, hockey sticks, or other ice skate blades. The hockey skate blade, if it had a thickness of 1.4 mm., would not resist the various impacts to which such blades are subjected. Furthermore, skating patterns during acceleration, braking, and diversion patterns sometimes require violent thrusts of the blade onto the ice surface, particularly in the toe area of the blade. The use of a narrow skate blade, particularly where the ice may be relatively soft, would cause severe grooves in the ice, often slowing down a hockey player and, of course, increasing the already rapid deterioration of the ice surface during a hockey game.